Forever Double Black
by wolfrunnerable12
Summary: A series of one-shot drabbles about Soukoku and their antics/relationship at different ages. Written just to help stimulate my creativity and because my brain is always pumping out crazy ideas.
1. Fatefully Your's

**City of Strays is taking a while because of the scene I am working on. So here is a little something to feed your hunger while you all wait lovelies. Plus it will help me elaborate on some back story too.**

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**17 **

The two teens were the last pair on the planet one would expect to get along...that was a fact. They were so different from each other that surely there would be no cohesiveness between the youths at all ever. The pair fought so much that even guests at meetings had taken to ignoring their shouts of insults and general bickering from accross the table. Mori smiled wide as he busied himself with continuing talks, while Kōyō simply sighed looking slightly annoyed by the younger Executives. Ace was the only one that ever showed any sort of disdain for the two. They were the last two people that anybody would think could possibly get along with each other and yet-

"Just what the hell were you thinking Dazai!? I know I useually let your suicide attempts go but this one I refuse!"

"What? All I did was walk into an abandoned condemned building by my lonesome because somebody was taking too long. Who poured salt on you Slug? I'd hardly call that a suicide attempt."

"An abandoned building full of explosives on almost every floor!? A hail of bullets is hardly an attempt, I can stop those. But an entire collapsing building spitting out fire and smoke!?"

"We both know there was no way he was coming out of there. Besides what matters is we finished the job and my actions got you in there faster."

"Your actions almost got us both killed damn Mackerel!"

"Please, like you're actually weaker then a building. I thought you always bragged about your Gift manipulating gravity. You're presenting a very ununified confussing front in front of Mori's important guests Slug."

"Again bullets are one thing and a entire flaming building is another! If you want to kill yourself then try something like jumping into a river next time! I'll gladly not fish your ass out!"

"Lier."

"What!?"

"Oh that's right! Slugs don't have ears, can't believe I forgot that! I called you a lier because we both know you'd eventually drag me out of the water. Like always you'll let me make an attempt and then pull me out of it a moment later. You can't help it, it's habit by now because you know you secretly love me and can't let any harm come to me or you'd be totally lost and alone. Which, by the way, you're oh so terrified of being."

"That's it! I'm going to kill you stupid Mackerel! Come here!"

So the meeting continued with Dazai's high pitched hysterical laughter, while a shouting irate Chūya wrestled trying to pin the brunette to the ground for a good beating. His face almost as red as his bright locks.

Chūya was loud, blunt to the point of out right rudeness if not foul-mouthed and full of energy.

Dazai was quiet, dangerously cunning and lazy.

Chūya was the primary offensive power of their duo. He was practically born for combat between his Gift and being the most skilled martial artist the Port Mafia had in their ranks.

Dazai handled the general strategy and specialized in neutralizing other Gifteds. His mind was unparalled. Only the orange haired Executive could fathom his mind enough to enter the light despite being kept in the dark.

Chūya acted like any other boy his age, yet harbored an ancient entity within himself.

Dazai acted...different..then any other boy his age, yet was normal even with his unique power.

Chūya kept Dazai sane. When the brunette started slipping it was the hat-wearing teen that pushed and held him upright to steady him.

Dazai was Chūya's shadow. He was always right beside the other boy, or not far behind, acting as a sheltered port whose waters were reliably steady.

The grinning brunette opened his eyes before letting his gaze drift up to the clock on the wall reading the time. It was after midnight. He'd been sitting there on the couch for hours while his mind drifted back to days long since passed. They'd been seventeen during that meeting where they argued with each other for like the billionth time since they first met. A part of Dazai had wondered over the years if, just maybe, Ogai Mori had lied to him that day he sent him out to investigate the previous boss reappearing. If maybe the previous boss had just been a cover up for the actual person he was sending his charge out in search for. It couldn't have just been coincidence that the loud orange haired punk who'd become one of his only two friends in all the organization, and the most important person period to him, was the one that plowed him into the side of a building when they met in Suribachi City. Right? Not with the late boss of the Port Mafia being involved it couldn't. Especially considering Ogai knew of Arahabaki and the mafia's own supposed search for the ancient entity which the Gifted had no clue about until it came up. No. Everything that happened back then was definitely not coincidence in the slightest...

A rather loud snore caught Dazai's attention making him look down at his side only to laugh quietly to himself. Speaking of himself and the orange haired punk, there leaning on the detective snoring away in a very familiar fashion was Chūya. His former partner was totally out of it not unlike if he had used Corruption. Though the privet investigator had the feeling that, if he so much as moved half an inch, the gravity manipulator would wake from his slumber instantly. Not that he was going to try it out. Nah. Better let the man sleep. It wasn't like Dazai was complaining after all so it was no use bothering his ex-partner. Instead the man opted to remain where he was watching the more petite framed man sleep snoring against him with mouth agape and bright strands of hair obscuring his face. Yup the Gifted was still the same old Chūya without a doubt. The hat he'd received as a welcome present to the Port Mafia resting on his chest held there by a hand. The other arm flopped out over the taller detective's lap in a careless manner. Shaking his head watching his partner the brunette detective found himself not caring what had brought the two unlikely pair together. It could have been all part of Mori's plans...could have been something else entirely. Whatever the case was he and Chūya were stuck together without any hope, or want, to leave the other. Even when one crawled up from the underground to the surface their paths still had the habit...no more like instinct...of crossing. They were fatefully each other's. And that was never going to change no matter what may pop up in their paths along the way. The brunette chuckled fondly as he lowered an arm to drape it over the sleeping man's shoulders, "Rest now, Partner."

The only response was a grumble about a 'kid with a deathwish of a partner' as Chūya pressed his face more nuzzling into Dazai.


	2. I Know You Better Then Anyone

**18**

The end of the cigarette burned a bright yellow-orange in color as the butt shrunk. Smoke rising into the air forming curling streams as he reclined on the opulent suite's couch. Legs crossed and arms drapped over the back of the couch minus the gloved hand holding the butt. The eighteen year old rarely smoked but, right now, he needed this relief for his frayed nerves. It was the only thing keeping him from chasing after that waste of bandages and dragging him back to their...well his now...living quarters.

Osamu Dazai, the youngest Executive in Port Mafia history and his partner of four years, was gone. Not dead. Oh no! The brunette teen was very much, though to Dazai himself's utter disappointment, still alive and kicking. But he was gone. He'd up and vanished in the middle of the night without word of warning or good bye to the one person most people would have thought was made aware of the young man's intentions. The only thing the suicidal fool had left behind was the coat Mori had given him as a welcome to the mafia present. It had been carefully layed out over the sleeping Executive in the middle of the night and lay there when the copper haired teen awoke.

Chūya sighed releasing the smoke from his recent puff. He needed a story to tell the Port Mafia Boss...maybe Dazai left during their last job? That could work if the teen covered his details well enough. Luckily the runaway Executive had been acting odd for awhile before his sudden departure. Or at least that the gravity manipulator had managed to pick up on at any rate. "Shitty Mackerel. You knew I'd do everything in my power to stop you, didn't you bastard? Thats why you snuck off without saying a word.", it was more of a statement then a question as he stared up with narrowed blue at the cieling of their quarters. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Chūya uncrossed his legs to lean forward enough and put out the remainder of the cigerette. Despite the all too well known stinging of betrayal the copper haired teen was feeling, he also knew this wasn't the end. The Gifted knew his partner far too well to think any differently. He and Dazai would be crossing paths with each other again at some point...no...

Double Black would be crossing paths with each other again at some point was more like it. The two teens were tied together by the red string of fate. The boss had merely played the physical manifestation of the damned thing. Plus Chūya knew his friend best.

Glancing down at Dazai's parting gift, the gravity manipulator silently slipped the coat on so it hung on his shoulders like a cape of sorts. He'd change the inside lining to hide it's true identity from Mori and the rest of the organization.

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**Going to elaborate on this at some point in the future. I wanna make a seperate story about ****Chūya's and Dazai's last days together leading up to Dazai leaving.**


	3. Fears

**15**

Dazai never thought he'd be afraid of anything.

Dazai never thought he'd be afraid of anything. After all what could someone who constantly tried to commit suicide, who welcomed or even embraced death, possibly ever be afraid of?

Dazai couldn't sit down. The normally lazy boy who was almost always in a state of a board calm was insistantly pacing back and forth accross the floor. Eyes who normally only held emotions such as indifferance, bordem or smugness uncharacteristically sparking with emotion as he stared straight ahead. Occasionally the brunette teen would pause like a startled dog who thought he heard something and raised it's head to listen. Then, when it proved to be nothing, it was right back to insistent pacing. Why was he so irritated?! Mori was handling things himself so why just what was going on?! What was going on?! What if-?! Dazai felt something hard hit his midsection drawing his attention from his thought. There a very familiar folded umbrella was held out stopping his path like police caution tape. Turning on his heels, the young brunette rounded on the owner of said umbrellla before slapping it away. "What are you doing Sister?", he asked in a tone that dripped with malevolence. The brunette was far from the in the mood to be corrected on any matter at the moment. Even the name by which he addressed the young women holding the umbrella was far from kind.

Kōyō Ozaki narrowed her eyes at the boy feeling a drop of sweat fall along her face. That look the teen was giving her- If there was an ability where a single look could kill...well good thing for her it wasn't the brunette's. "I'd advise against that.", said Kōyō in a cool even tone as she watched the bandaged teen carefully with narrowed eyes, "If you think you're the only one here concerned for him then cast off that foolish assumption. Don't let your fear get the best of you boy. You know the boss's skills better then I. I'm confident-" But the next moment the Executive found herself landing painfully on the floor empty handed with a very familiar blade pressed to her neck. Realizing what had happened she held back the urge to call on her demon. Despite her rank and experiance not even Golden Demon would be able to protect her against the Ogai Mori's young protege. She doubted even Elise, the manifestation of the boss's ability, would be able to keep Dazai back. Not as long as he had No Longer Human at his disposal.

Meanwhile Dazai stood over the kimono-clad young women staring down at her with a blank emotionless glare. Her own sword she kept hidden in her umbrella unsheathed and pressed threateningly to her neck. "If you ever think to try and keep me from Chūya again then not even Mori will be able to protect you..Sister", the male brunette warned who was his superior by rank in the organization. Not that that small fact mattered to him at the moment though. Had it not been for the door of the infirmary opening it was highly likely the sword would have remained at the female Executive's throat. But, as it happened, the door did open and the blade fell to the ground.

The Port Mafia's Boss couldn't step away fast enough to let the dark haired fifteen year old pass him into the room. Shutting the door behind Dazai, Mori turned to see his Executive on the ground with her own blade resting at her feet. The man grinned, "My my. It seems they're a better match for each other then I had originally thought, wouldn't you agree Kōyō?"

Kōyō said nothing but accepted the boss's hand when he offered to help her onto her feet.

Meanwhile the door to the infirmary was just about slammed back into the wall as the bandaged teen strood into the room he was only too familiar with himself. The only destination in his sight was a bed a little ways off that held a short messy mane of copper sitting up right. His actions earning the attention of a pair of previously distracted exhausted blue orbs. Without thinking about his actions before hand, Dazai's curled fist flew at his partner aimed right for his face. But compared to Chūya's skills in hand to hand combat his were painfully lacking.

"The hell are you doing jackass? Can't you see I'm beat up enough without you bumping my face with your fist?", the orange haired Gifted said turning his head towards the taller teen. It was an action which Chūya would regret right away for several years to come. Blue eyes widened into dinner plate size when they met dark brown at that moment. The fifteen year old moving up right quickly only for sudden pain to force him the lay back down again. He moved to pull his hand from Dazai's, but the bandaged boy silently refused to release him instead locking their hands together. "Hey! Would you let go of me al-!?"

"-You're never going to use that power again, understand? Thats an order."

The young Gifted stopped struggling against the brunette as shock lanced through his body. While normally one to lash out at anybody who spoke to him in a way as his partner did, and kick their ass in the process, Chūya actually held himself back. Or rather the shock of hearing his partner's voice like this jarred him to the point of control. Again Chūya attempted to free himself from the brunette, "What are you talking about Extra-Stuff-That-Comes-With-The-Bandages? How many times do I have to beat it into your thick twisted skull I'm not your dog?" Though he looked away playing it off like he had no idea what Dazai was talking about it was a lie. The gravity-controlling Gifted knew exactly what his friend meant. It was the first time he'd used his trump card in front of the other teen...and admittedly it wasn't exactly a pretty trump card. However an unnatural feeling in his grip made Chūya turn back in time to come face to face with glaring fifteen year old mafia member. Though he himself appeared perfectly normal, Dazai's white knuckled grip was shaking in his own limp one. Even though they'd only known each other a few months that was definetly not normal for the emotionally detached teen. That the orange haired boy knew as fact. Not bothering to pull his hand from his partner's grip, "Look. If you're concerned using that power is going to mess up our jobs then-"

When he spoke Dazai did so in the same low monotone voice laced with an undertone of danger, "From where I was standing it didn't look like you could control it, other then bringing it on. And the condition you were in when I stepped in? Care to explain why you passed out unresponsive in my arms covered in blood after using that power of your's?" Of course considering this was Dazai who was talking these weren't so much questions as demands. And the answers to those questions were already silently known already between the two boys. The brunette had called the power Chūya's, but both he and the teen himself knew that wasn't entirely right. He was supposed to be the suicidal one so why did the copper haired boy see fit to try his hand at it for a change? There was no need for it. "Do you have any idea what it took for me to find your pulse Chūya?"

Chūya didn't say anything at first. He just shared a silent conversation with the other fifteen year old Mafioso which did nothing but to confirm Dazai's suspicions. At least until he decided to say something anyway. The copper haired Mafioso's voice mirrored that of the mafia boss's charge minus the undertones. Instead it was more fatigued and annoyed then dangerous. "It doesn't matter. The jobs over and I'm fine now thanks to the boss, so who cares what happened? We'd both probably be dead by now if I didn't use it anyway, you should be thanking me for saving your ass...ungreatful suicidal prick.", sighed Chūya before adding, "Is Ane-san here?" He wasn't an idiot. The fifteen year old knew the other teen was only guilt tripping him and didn't actually care. After seeing, even in their short time together, what Dazai was really capable of there was no way he actually cared. Though the use of his name did pull his interest a bit it was easily ignored as part of the other Mafioso's frightening acting skills.

And Chūya was trying to change the subject by asking about the female Executive. Like Dazai was going to let his pain in the ass partner shrug this off so easily. Still the blue eyed teen did make a few good arguments about his decision to use the entitie's power. Plus there was this feeling this was not going to be the last time that form of the young Gifted reared it's overly destructive head. But the drawback was still not something which Dazai was willing, even if he could, forget. The image of a limp unresponsive Chūya being cradled in his arms was not something the brunette would ever forget. He'd already purposefully burned the color of his partner's blood into his memory keeping it at the forefront of things. The sound of his quickened panicked heart rate and sound of his high-pitched voice while he pleaded with the other fifteen year old to come through was ingrained in the suicidal kid's memories like a really bad nightmare. "Forget about Kōyō."

The blue-eyed boy raised an eyebrow only to withdraw himself further back into his pillow. The suicidal half of their duo had suddenly leaned forward getting right up in his face. The urge to smack him had never been so strong. As it was Chūya shoved his free hand into Dazai's face in an attempt to put some distance between them again. "Watch it! You're way too close idiot!", he snapped only to to have his glare falter slightly when that wrist too was taken by his partner. "Jeez what now? Want me to kick you again instead of beating you with my fists? Last time I se-"

"Listen to me Chūya. I'm not messing with you this time, I mean this."

Chūya stopped trying to shove his fellow Mafioso away , instead instinctivly dropping the hand he'd pressed to Dazai's face enough for him to talk. Ok. Now the teen knew something was up. There was the sound of...strangled pleading?...in the normally irritatingly knowledgable voice. Surely Chūya was hearing things. Now he could see his partner wasn't acting as he normally did and it unnerved the young Gifted. "Fine. You have my attention, so spill and tell me why you're not acting like your normal pain in the ass suicidal self.", he paused before adding, "You're really serious about this. You're not going to get all soft and start crying begging me to never use that power again are you? 'Cause you can leave if you are."

The bandaged teen sighed, "Like I'd ever beg you for anything." Taking a breath Dazai steadied himself best he could before he continued, "I'm also not going to argue with you or tell you how to use your powers. I am going to help you control it though, if you can hear me out now that that suffocating tacky hat isn't on your head. But still, next time you're thinking about using that power I suggest that you don't unless I'm with you. I didn't rescue you from the Sheep, just to loose you to Arahabaki."

The young Gifted's eyes widened as silence fell between the pair of mafia members. Finally, "You didn't 'rescue' me from anybody so get off your high horse already. It's not like I enjoy using the bastard's power like that anyway, so I think I can hold off on using it. Just..." "_Chūya!" _Chūya stopped taking in his partner biting his tongue as he eyed the boss's young protege.

Dazai blinked at the gravity manipulator as slight panic that the copper haired Mafioso was going under again like at the warehouse. "Are you...alright hat rack? Should I get Mori?", he asked trying to hold back his returning bought of panic.

The fifteen year old closed his azure eyes leaning his head back against the cool pillow. A long breath escaping him as the teen just let his body relax. "I'm beat. You exhaust me more then anything ever could damn suicidal punk. Do me a favor and try not to kill yourself until the boss releases me.", Chūya breathed.

Dazai couldn't help the fond smile that pulled at his mouth. "Sure buddy, no problem."

Dazai never thought he would be afraid of anything. After all what could someone who constantly tried to commit suicide, who welcomed or even embraced death, possibly ever be afraid of? But sitting there alone in the mafia's infirmory with both himself and his partner not caring about their still locked hands? Realization dawned on Dazai cuasing his shoulders to slump in an irritated sigh which was all too common place for him now around the copper haired Mafioso.

Dazai was terrified of loosing Chūya.


	4. Parenthood-Age Six, part one

** These have to do with City of Strays as promised. These chapters could also be called "I Left The Mafia. I Never Left You.". This first one may be a little short for an introduction. These kinds of chapter will be scattered through the story I think because 1- cute, comicalness and adorableness and 2 - parenthood is a totally different kind of relationship. **

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**28**

Nobody talked to him.

Everybody did their utmost to avoid him in the halls, eyes and heads down in silence if and when he approached.

There weren't any gifts left at or delivered to his office.

No unopened cards with scribbled notes of encouragement sitting in precarious piles on his desk.

Higuchi had personally cleaned his calander.

As his right hand Akutagawa had wasted no time in taking up the mantle of acting boss.

Kōyō meanwhile, the one who had overseen the new boss from day one if not raised him despite their meager four year age gap, stood by knowingly. She was the one responsible for keeping the rest of the organization from bothering him. Weather with work or to offer condolances didn't matter to her. All attempts met with a warning from Golden Demon just the same. Yet she kept a cautious distance herself. The red haired women knew him well enough to know none of them were what the gravity-manipulator needed at the moment.

He held tightly to the little body he was carrying. That of a little six year old passed out and nestled cozily in the safety of his arms, his coat wrapped around her for a blanket. There wasn't a single blemish on the little girl...no scratch, scuff or bruise. Even her hair and clothes were as pristine as when she'd been dressed that morning. The slight bouncing motion as Chūya carried her through the halls having thankfully long since lulled her to sleep...so he convinced himself. Though it didn't show outwardly, inside the mafia boss had never felt more like the diety of his origins before. Not that he'd dare admit to it. His gloves had even been discarded leaving his hands bare so as not to get the blood and bile of a traitorous scumbag on the expansive dark luxury material. The familiar chant had been on his lips and would have left them had it not been for a phone call Akutagawa recieved seemingly right on cue from a certain weretiger. That resident doctor of the agency may have been a few screws loose, but the copper haired man admittedly owed her a huge debt for saving the life of the unconcious little girl he carried.

"Welcome home Boss-Slug!"


	5. Partners

**Fair warning now peeps...you MAY all want tissues near by and please do not kill me for this so that I can keep writing. This is part of the "Parenthood/"I Left The Mafia. I Never Left You." series of chapters. This chapter was originally called "Read The Fine Print", but was changed because this title fit better. This is some i sight into why Dazai is at the mafia headquarters visiting his old partner and the events leading up to it.**

**28**

He just couldn't catch a break. Even though he was president of the agency now Doppo Kunikida just could not catch even a day's break from his suicide-prone partner's antics. The blonde Gifted sighed as the elevator carried him to the fourth floor of the brick building which housed the Armed Detective Agency offices. He had arrived exactly when he said he would...approximately fifteen minutes after recieving a distressed called from Atsushi. How did he know the call had to do with his partner even before answering? Easy. Because Kunikida knew Dazai all too well. Far far too well at that. The silver haired detective had probably called because the idiot had eaten some stupid mushroom or other weird fungi again and was causing havoc...yet harmless havoc...around the office. The idealist could just hear the senseless babble about 'rainbow pillbugs' and see the fool laughing hysterically standing on top of a desk now. His co-workers always called him when Dazai would act up to come handle things and he would without fail. Sure grumbling and annoyed along the way, but go none the less.

It's what partners did. They took care of each other watching each other's back no matter what the circumstances were. They cleaned up each others messes no matter how messy said mess was.

Stepping into the agency offices, "Alright Bandage-Squandering-Machine, the hell did you eat this ti-!?" Kunikida's voice faltered as the office door shut behind him. The ability user's precious notebook containing his ideals, schedules and the conduit for his power falling to the floor at his feet with a light thud.

He'd been ready to untie Atsushi and whoever else Dazai had mummified for lunch this time.

He'd been ready to flip the brunette idiot to the floor shouting at him to snap him out of the almost drug-like hallucination effects of the mushrooms again.

He'd been ready to possibly babysit his troublesome partner for the remainder of his "day off".

Kunikida had not been ready to see Atsushi and the rest of the agency detectives huddled around one of the desks in silence with worried expressions. All of them except for Ranpo and Yosano that is. The brilliant un-gifted agency member seemingly more relaxed then the rest of the agents in the room. They were all there except for, "Where is he?"

The only response Kunikida got was Dazai's weretiger apprentice picking something up from the desk and turning to hold it up for the president. But it was all the man needed. His eyes narrowed as a unexpected, unexplained chill passed through his body. For what Atsushi held up, what everyone was standing around the desk for, was his partner's tan trench coat which had been neatly folded and left on the surface of the desk.

Not. Good.

"Find him!", ordered Kunikida making a fist, "Search all over the city! Every river, trash bin, bridge, tea house, the port, his apartment, the alleyways and everywhere else that damn bastard could be! Find him!"

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_"Remember when you told me...that you subjected yourself to violence and bloodshed because it might help you find some reason to exsist?"_

_"Yeah I did. But who cares about that now?"_

_"You're not going to find it and deep down you know its true. Weather you're on the side that kills people or the side that protects them, you won't find what you're seeking. Nothing in this world will be able to fill the lonliness inside you. Try as you might, the darkness will always be there."_

_"Odasaku…...tell me what I should do..."_

_"Be someone that protects people. If both sides are the same to you, then become a good man. Protect the vulnerable. Help out some orphans. I know that the concept of good and evil doesn't mean much to you, but at least it would make your world a little more beautiful."_

_"You can't know that."_

_"Of course I can, I'm certain of it. Because...I know my friend better then anyone."_

_"Alright…...I'll do it."_

How long had it been?

How long had it been since Dazai had last been inside the walls of the towers which made up the Port Mafia headquarters?

How long had it been since people hurried out of his way in the halls like terrified animals around the perfect predator running away on instinct of sensing the danger?

How long had it been since he had someone laying at his feet, or towered over someone in chains before him more battered and bloody then any of his suicide attempts had ever managed to make him?

How long had it been since the brunette man had last worn black?

Apparently too long.

Apparently way way too long.

Dazai was rusty. The bastard was still alive and concious, though the goal was to keep him both as long as possible, where most would have at least passed out by now. No wonder this man was an Executive. At first he had thought that this was just going to be another case of Ace where the title was only for show. The fact that there was a decent reason this creaton had made it to one of the highest positions in the organization was suddenly understandable. Not many could take Dazai's punishments as he had. Even Kōyō sang like a songbird the moment the bandaged man threatened her with his particular methods of torture. Still Dazai wanted this man to last as long as he could manage to keep breathing. He'd pay dearly for what he'd done to the last living person whom the ex-mafia member could claim an actual connection...bond...to. "Sorry...Odasaku, but you knew there would be one exception. You had to know there would be one.", Dazai breathed under his breath with a frown on his face. He could imagine his friend's response to that excuse easily but refused to think about it. Motioning for one of the suited mafiosos to approach, the former Executive handed the man his gun after securing the safety. "Keep him alive. I'm not quite done with him yet but I have other bussiness to handle before we continue. Remember to watch out for Almost Transparent Blue, it's activated through physical contact with his target.", Dazai's voice was emotionless and monotoned making it sound familiar yet foreign echoing in his ears. The brunette ability user didn't wait for a confirmation of understanding from the subordinate but turned and headed out of the dungeon instead in silence.

Odasaku had been right about saving people being more beautiful then killing them...yes. But his dear friend had also been very very wrong about something at the same time. He'd been wrong about Dazai never finding something to fill the lonliness in his heart. The brunette had found it when he was fifteen and, now more then ever before, that something the former Executive had found as a young unruly punk needed him. (Though said thing was sure to vehemently deny such a thought on pain of destroying Dazai once and for all.) But embarassed denial wasn't going to stop Dazai, nor was his word to his dear deceased friend either for that matter. Nothing would stop the ability user from being by Chūya's side. From here on out it was going to be Soukoku all the way weather the short copper haired man liked it or not. After all thats what partners did. They took care of each other watching each other's back no matter what the circumstances were. They cleaned up each others messes no matter how messy said mess was.

Chūya Nakahara was, had always been and always would be the one exception...his partner.


	6. First Winter Together

**15**

Chūya hated winter. Ever since he could think back after having 'formed' did the blue eyed Gifted recall hating winter time in Yokohama City.

Winter lasted too long.

Winter was grey, wet, cold and unforgiving.

Winter was something he couldn't control even with his powers no matter how he tried. And he did try several times to use gravity to control the frigid weather over the city and failed. The teen didn't like that.

Winter brought the chances of illness and even possible death to a street punk of a teenager, Gifted or not, living in a place like Suribachi City. It was the cruelist season of the four.

Winter was dark.

Winter was lonely.

To him, being out in the winter time reminded him of floating alone aimlessly in the void that had once been his prison.

To him, being out in the winter time reminded him he wa-

Suddenly it stopped snowing causing Chūya to pause and be shaken from his own thoughts. Well no that wasn't entierly right. It didn't stop snowing because the chilled lace-like water droplets were still falling all around him. Its just they weren't falling on him. On top of the snowflakes seeming to be avoiding him, there was a light weight on his head and sudden warmth pressing against his one side.

Chūya hated winter.

Winter to the young Mafioso was long, miserable, dark, cold and merciless.

Winter brought back memories of the gravity-manipulator's past which he wanted nothing to do with aside from forget. It made him remember he was no longer human if he ever even technically was in the first place.

"Annoying Slug, I'm supposed to be the suicidal one. That tacky hat of your's isn't going to be enough to keep a shrimp like you warm. You're too small to climb under it.", said Dazai having pulled the black coat he always wore up over both their heads and around their shoulders. The brunette moving closer to his partner's side to keep him warm like a living space heater against the day's winter chill.

Chūya leaned into Dazai's side out of instinct, or maybe quickly developed habit would be better here, attempting absorbing the suicidal teen's warmth. The fact that the brunette was several centimeters taller then him actually not annoying him at the moment. Quite the opposite. Their differance in height actually worked to the young Gifted's advantage, while simultaneously earning his partner brownie points he was totally oblivious too. The copper haired fifteen year old loved Dazai because he was a constant. Yes the idiot was...well an idiot...was suicidal and legally insane. Yes Chūya genuinely hated the brunette's twisted thought processes and had to snap his fellow mafia member out of his 'episodes' when they happened. (He was the only one that could actually get his partner to stop. The boss might be able too but never bothered to do more then watch with an amused, knowing grin. Which royally pissed off the newest mafia member making him swear every which way how lucky Mori was he was waay too loyal to beat the ever living crap out of him. Though the boss was calculated and cunning enough to know just how far to antagonize the petite boy. Even the teen's loyalties had a few limitations.) But none of that bothered the young Mafioso.

"Chūya?"

Chūya was far too busy at the moment to offer more then a lazy grumble. A lazy grumble that was half muffled by the taller boy's white dress shirt. "This better be good Dazai.", came the bearly audiable response.

"Winter isn't so bad is it?", came the smug reply.

"Shut up asshole.", growled the petite Mafioso all but curled up at his, now chuckling, partner.


	7. Hanging Out

**Sorry chapter seven is taking a month to do. I'm attempting planning and that is making each chapter take longer to get out. I should have it out some point this week though. *big smile* While you wait here is a pick me up! I am being inspired by stuff on the internet as of late. This one comes from a picture of teen Double Black with our adorable red head casually sitting on our suicide maniac's lap looking at a phone. **

**16**

"So. You ready to go yet or what? Boss'll be expecting a report from us and I wrote the last one.", said Chūya in a voice not unlike how his partner's normally was. Calm...almost board even.

A moan of complaint echoed right by the boy's right ear in response. "Five more minutes.", Dazai moaned out though it was mumbled due to being spoken into the fabric of the young gravity-manipulator's coat. Dazai's face being buried in the rich dark fabric of the clothes which Chūya wore. "That fight took everything out of me. I really don't feel like getting up and going to see the Boss just yet. And I really don't feel like writing a report for him right now."

Chūya felt arms work their way around his waist as the other Gifted spoke. In turn the young copper haired ability user leaned in towards his suicidal partner letting Dazai adjust him on his lap. The sixteen year old even crossed one leg over the other trying to make it easier for the other teen to do so. Meanwhile azure eyes not once bothered looking up from the screen of the phone in his hand, fingers of one hand flying non stop over the key pad. Other gloved hand having reached around back of Dazai, black gloved fingers gently tugged at soft brunette waves wrapping themselves up in the strands of hair in absentminded fashion. "I'm tierd of being late to stuff all the time. I've have to listen to the Old Lady about almost missing our down time together more then once because of you.", said Chūya.

"Chuuuuyaaaaaa~!", Dazai moaned stressing the sixteen year old's name in a sing song voice. The cuniving Mafioso moved his head up to go from pressing his face into his partner's coat, to nudging his collar out of the way and nuzzling the gravity manipulator's neck in pleading. "Pleeeeease Chuuuuyaaaa? When was the last time we just hung out with each other? We're supposed to be partners and partners spend time together right?"

There was a long pause before... "You're dealing with the boss and clean up.", said the newest Port Mafia member.

The other teen couldn't see it but Dazai grinned triumphantly into his neck. The suicidal brunette cast a glance from behind his partner at the rest of the port warehouse. The bodies of the enemy men laying around the warehouse that had been alive with combat not but half an hour ago. The young pair sent by Ogai Mori to handle the group who were planning an overthrow of the Port Mafia and thus take over of Yokohama. Yeup. The teens had definetly well earned this time together just the two of them without a doubt. Satisfied Dazai closed his eyes holding tightly, perhaps possesivly, to his loud petite partner sitting in lap. Clean up duty, the Mafioso decided, was well worth the extra hang out time.


	8. Not Going To Say I Missed You-Chūya POV

**22 ****Chūya POV**

He should have been reporting to Mori. The Executive knew this as he followed the all too familiar path through the Port Mafia's headquarters. The occasional subordinate members of the organization parting to let him pass by the second they lay eyes on his approching form. A few of them greeted him with a hurried "Welcome back Sir!", but Chūya ignored them strolling right past. Chūya should have been in the boss's office giving his report to Mori, yet the petite man was instead headed down to the dungeons of headquarters. Teeth clenched behind the tight line his mouth formed. Ice azure eyes narrowed focused straight ahead as if he could only move forward towards something only he could see. One black gloved hand formed a shaking fist at his side as the Gifted made his way through the mafia halls. The other reached over clutching tight to the black coat he wore hanging from his shoulders...the coat HE had left him that day four years ago. The gravity manipulator's breath hitched in his throat at the thought.

Four years.

Already it had been four whole years since the morning Chūya woke up to find the idiot having up and left without a word or note.

Four years with no word.

Four years of checking his phone for any message by someone under the label 'Mackerel' only to curse the idiot's nickname in the end.

Four years of not having to save his ass after ridiculous suicide attempts or save it period.

Four years of not seeing the red cover of 'The Complete Guide to Suicide' resting on the coffee or kitchen table of their luxury apartment.

Four years of walking to Mori's office in silence for briefing on jobs, instead of the usuall banter and occasional kick or lunch which would inevitably be dodged without fail.

Four years of not having to wrap new injuries or change the bandages of old ones that refused to heal properly.

Four years of not waking to a mess of brunette hair and light snoring at his side. Of not having to kick the lazy irritating bastard awake to get him moving for the day every single morning.

Four years of looking to his right and not seeing the calm never phased figure keeping step by step pace with him in typical board manner.

Four years of being alone.

And now after all this time, after those four years of seemingly having disappeared like he never existed, now Chūya finds out he isn't the only one whose come home. Just like that. No word of warning exactly like how the other Gifted had left back then. Needless to say that Chūya was pissed...what sane person wouldn't be in his current position? The gravity-manipulator used that to ignore the fact each one of his footfalls had a pretty noticable hurried spring to it while descending the stone steps to the torture room below.

"It's about time."

The idiot was planning something again and there were no gaurds. Had the entire organization really forgotten who this was? Surely the boss hadn't forgotten his own protege, but maybe Ogai Mori had no idea the brunette was in Port Mafia custody yet. Not that the copper haired man cared about that, or anything other then their prisoner, at the moment. Sticking his hands in his pockets, "Plotting as useual are we?" Chūya kept his head down as a million and a half things swam through his head from things to say to memories. Each thought he dubbed more stupid or childish then the one before it. Still the copper haired Executive did his utmost to keep a facade of wanting to beat his EX-partner to a bloody pulp...though it was a little easier then expected since he really did want to clobber the deserter to a point.

"I...know that voice."

Chūya huffed. Of course the idiot knew his voice after being together for how long before he up and left that night. The orange haired Executive knew his voice just as well too for the same reason. And the young man be damned if he ever were to admit such a thing to another breathing person. "Well. This sure is a wonderful sight, rivals a billion dollar masterpiece. Right Dazai?", he shot a smug smirk at the brunette chained by his wrists to the slab of stone. And for the first time in four years the gravity manipulator's bright blue eyes came to meet that pair of rich brown for the hundredth time. Damn Mackerel's name still felt totally natural, pleasing, while rolling off Chūya's tongue on top of it. God how much the copper haired man hated the suicidal idiot!

The brunette former Executive's face twisted into one of disgust, "So creepy. Just frightening."

There was no way in hell the copper haired Gifted was going to let this traitor see just how irritating he was being. No way in hell. Not this time. "I like your reaction.", said the gravity-manipulator stopping a short distance in front of Dazai having reached the bottom of the stone steps, "It makes me wanna strangle you." That wasn't a lie. Chūya really did want to strangle his former partner to put him within an inch of his life after all, though not for the reasons most would think. He wanted to yet want was completly different then reality.

"Still the same old Chūya.", said Dazai.

Well this was Dazai the Gifted was dealing with.. "What's that mean!", shouted the mafia member feeling his temper spike momentarily.

True to form the twenty-two year old brunette just wouldn't shut up, "I have a question I've always wanted to ask...where exactly do you get all your tacky hats?"

A vein was practically popping out in the young man's forehead while he turned his glare up at those all too familiar board brown eyes. He'd be okay. He'd be okay. He could do this. Chūya wasn't some temperamental teen anymore and he knew Dazai well enough to not fall for his childish ribbing anymore. Childish ribbing that had the habit of pulling at his already short fuse all the time. Hissing through clenched teeth, "Say what you want old snake. I bet you're still obsessing over committing suicide aren't yah?"

"Yeup!", said the mafia prisoner.

Of course he was... "Aww! It's no fun when you don't even try to deny it!", complained the business attire-clad man squaring his shoulders back again before continuing in a taunting voice, "In any case now you're just a pathetic prisoner. Makes you cry, doesn't it?" Taking a few steps forward then to close the gap between him and the apparently now detective from what he had heard while grabbing a fistful of dark hair to pull them close, "Actually I find this all a bit too convenient. You might be able to fool Akutagawa but you can't fool me. I AM you're former partner after all so out with it. Just what is your play here?"

His former partner just gave him a look before speaking in a relaxed monotone like his thoughts were obvious, "Clearly it was to be caught and killed. So far I've half succeeded."

Azure blue eyes narrowed, "That kind of reckless planning just isn't like you. If it was-" His grip tightened on the fistfull of soft brunette in his hand before roughly shoving the head it was attached to away and turning around, "-I would have killed you a long time ago." Lie. It was a lie. Just that simple. Sure Chūya would have beaten the ever loving crap out of the sucidial maniac but killed? He doubted even if Dazai let him and didn't have No Longer Human he couldn't manage it. No. He knew there was no way he could ever kill his former partner even under Mori's orders. The gravity-manipualator gritted his teeth at this thought.

"You're over thinking this.", claimed Dazai before adding, "By the way, just why are you here?"

_'To beat your ass and crush every bone in your body for that night, thats why I'm here! To skin you alive like the shitty mackerel you are! You left me bastard! We were eighteen! We had been together for three damn years! We were PARTNERS and you left me with nothing but this coat! You swore...you swore...' _"To pay you back.", growled Chūya through gritted teeth. The copper haired Executive reaching to clutch at the coat he'd carried with him as loyally as his hat since that day. His fist around the dark rich fabric trembled as he tried, and sort of failed sort of managed to, control his ever prickly temper. "You used to give me a real hard time, you toyed with me...but now..." Without thinking of the consequences of his actions before taking them, the gravity-manipulator spun in a sharp roundhouse kick aimed right over Dazai's head. The impact of his foot easily shattering the metal chains holding the brunette to the stone wall even. A feat that was easy for him even without his ability active.

Dazai lowered his arms, the cuffs and little section of the chains still dangling from them.

"...I can give you my gratitude for all that, with interest.", added the black-clad young man glaring at the now detective, "I have no idea what you're planning but I want to fight you Dazai. I want to crush you and whatever scheme you've dreamed up."

"Chūya...", Dazai sighed in an exhasperated manner.

Chūya raised an curious eyebrow.

The brunette snapped his fingers and the remainder of his bonds fell to the basement floor from his wrists with the sound of metal hitting stone.

Of course... "So you could have escaped at any time.", said the twenty-two year old unable to help the slight gein that pulled at the corners of his mouth. Of course... This wasn't the first time Dazai had been bound in cuffs. Even if Chūya hadn't desteoyed them with his kick the detective could have gotten out of them just fine on his own. This trick was somewhat of a specialty of the dark haired Gifted. He should have remembered this.

"You really thought you could stop me?", Dazai asked holding up a pin for his ex-partner to see, "You must be joking." An all too familiar smug grin on his mug that had the tendency in the past to simultaneously infuriate and melt the hat wearing Gifted.

Chūya grinned, "I'm rather liking these turn of events!", he shouted tossing his coat aside before making a dash for Dazai.

_'I'm not going to say I missed you asshole...'_

**I will also be doing this from Dazai's point of view as a two part/two sided as well! I just couldn't help but wonder what these two were feeling during their first reunion after four years you know?**

**Should I continue this in a part 2 and cover their fisticuff bout?**


	9. Sneaking Out

**This could be seen as the sequel to "Hanging Out", which is why this follows it. This takes place shortly after the recovery of Q. **

**22**

He should really be at the agency.

Atsushi would be worried about him.

Kunikida wouldn't worry, chalk it up to another failed attempted suicide, but the lecture he would no doubt unleash upon Dazai's return would leave a splitting headache.

Rampo would be suspicious (if he didn't work things out already. Damn clever bastard.).

Plus with the Guild still being a problem it was all hands on deck. So all in all he should really get going now before it got later. If the agency knew Dazai had snuck out to see the hat-wearing Gifted..nope not going to think about that. Especially since nobody, except perhaps Rampo if anyone, was going to ever find out about just how deep his connection to the young man he was leaning back up against on the roof top was. They couldn't. Nobody could. If that knowledge got out-

So the detective thought until the familiar smell of smoke brushed accross his nose shaking him from his inner musings. Gentle as though a soft hand had caressed his face in tease, despite what most would call acrid smell. In response, Dazai moved his shoulders ever so slightly against the wall of warmth his back was up against. It was still there. Of course it was considering the soft hair he was toying with at wrapping around his fingers.

He was still there.

"You tensed up."

Dazai let his body relax quickly but kept in physical contact with the wall of solid warmth at his back. He was tempted to switch positions and put his head on a lap, but decided against it. This resting position had been born out of need for a safe way to rest on jobs. Back to back like this was both a comfort for the teens back then, as well as the practical sense that nobody could sneak up on and take them out. Well try to take them out anyway. Laying in laps made both of them a bit more vulnerable then Dazai would like either of them to be. Nope. That was always reserved for when they'd collapse behind the safety of the apartment either on the couch or in a bed. It wasn't sneaking around to see each other on a roof top position way to sit. "Sorry. I'm alright. I just wanted wanted to make you worry.", the brunette replied.

"Jackass." There was a long pause which caused another puff of smoke to cross Dazai's nose before, "I'm still here Mackerel. If I left you alone then the entire city would go to hell in a heartbeat. Even if it didn't Kōyō would still have my ass for failing my job as your partner."

The agency member couldn't help the knowing soft smirk, "Oh? Partner? Did you just call me your partner...Slug?"

"Shut up. Like we ever stopped being partners, as much of a pain in the ass as you are and I'd love to let Kunikida have full custody of you. His weak ass can't handle you.", growled Chūya flicking off the end of his cigarette that had burned too much, "Not when you're serious."

Chuckling the young man stopped playing with the longest part of the Executive's bright locks letting it fall from being wrapped around his fingers. Instead Dazai gently held the copper hair in his hand while closing his eyes and turning his head. The brunnete pressing his face to the soft copper bunch in his hand savoring the feeling he knew well. "Now now be nice to the workhorse. Kunikida is still plenty capable I'll have you know.", the dark haired man defended his co-worker. The next words Chūya said though were exactly what the detective was thinking just the same.

"But hes not perfect."

Dazai didn't say anything. The brunette was too wrapped up in the gravity-manipulator's familiar soothing presence to say anything. Still he thought _'But he isn't you, Chūya.' _the suicidal Gifted silently corrected. It was true. For as much a valued co-worker and partner Kunikida was for the detective, no matter how well they worked together, the passionate idealist wasn't the petite Executive and never could be. Dazai leaned his head back letting it rest on top of said Executive's shoulder and closed his eyes letting his thoughts drift back to their job a day ago. His hand holding the longer piece of copper hair to his cheek as his thoughts wondered.

Corruption...

Dazai's grip on the copper strands tightened a bit involuntarily at the thought. The image of the man whose head the hair was attached to during that fight swimming through his head. It was all clear as if it had just happened but hours before instead of a full twenty-four. The detective's gut twisted making him nauseous. Yes it was the brunette that had suggested the use of Arahabaki's power which ultimetly led to the defeat of whatever weird tenticle thing that Lovecraft guy had become but...

Blue eyes normally filled with arrogance which could easily match his own turned to blue pinpricks.

Laughter which was useually deep and light turned dark and insane.

Those glowing crimson tatoos crawling their way over Chūya's neck, face and arms.

The blood...damn the blood...Chūya's, his Chūya's, blood... He was used to bodies and blood, none of that phased him normally, but the hat-wearing Gifted's blood? His partner's blood?

"Would you quit it."

Dazai paused startled and confused like an animal in headlights. The copper haired ability user's voice instantly shaking him from his own thoughts as they useually did no matter how deep the brunette's thoughts happened to be. "Quit what?", he asked innocently, "I thought Slug liked me messing with his hair. He certainly used to." Dazai was sure that he'd be pinned to the roof top in an instant by Tainted if he'd not been holding the Executive by the hair right then.

A huff came from the young man at the agency member's back, "Don't try to play stupid because you've been caught. I don't mean quit messing with my hair and you know it. I mean quit ruining the fact you snuck out behind your agency's backs to see me with thoughts about Corruption. I can practically hear you call No Longer Human." Though Dazai couldn't see it from his position, Chūya's eyes narrowed. "You always get creepy after using it even if its your brilliant idea in the first place."

Dazai gave a weak half-hearted smile as he turned his head to place a light kiss on the mafia member's neck. The smile transforming into a smirk upon feeling a small frail of goosebumps appear along the skin from his action. "Yeah well its your fault for making me love you in the first place...dear hat rack.", the ability user replied not realizing what he had said until it was too late. The longer strand of bright locks all but yanked from his grasp quicker then he cluld react. All because he had said the L-Word.

"No more hair privilidges for you shitty Mackerel!", snapped the Executive while doing his best to keep his face from the other Gifted. A fierce blush coloring his face.

And so the once peaceful roof top, all curtesy of Dazai of course, broke out into a blur of juvenile chaos between two lovers. One shouting at the other while said other did nothing but laugh and continue his provocations. What the shorter of the two twenty-two year olds didn't realize thanks to his rage and desire to beat his lover into a bloody pulp, was that this was all pre-planned. Every word and action down to the detail by none other then the ability user he wanted to pulverize. Yeup. Sneaking around the other members of the Armed Detective Agency was well worth it to spend this time with his Chūya.


	10. Soukoku Fluff '20 - Present

**Day 3 Part One, also combined with Day 6 _"Leave the kiss for later." _or the Valentine's Day Prompt.**

_Bzzzzzz...!_

The boys paused millimeters away from each other, foreheads touching as they just stared at each other. Passionate bright sea blue and accepting deep chocolate brown locked on each other with neither wanting to be the one to look away first. As though the young ability users were afraid doing so would bring ill karma on them. Like one would disappear into thin air and the other would be left alone again. The one turned the shiny stone that matched the other's eyes perfectly over in his hand over and over savoring the feeling of it's smooth surface in his palm.

_Bzzzzzz!_

'Don't...'

_Bzzzzz!_

'Have to.'

_Bzzzzz!_

'No you don't.'

_Bzzzzz!_

'He'll keep calling until I pick up the phone.'

_Bzzzzz!_

'So?'

_Bzzzzzzz!_

'You really want him to keep bothering us?'

_Bzzzzz!_

'Let it go to voicemail for a change.'

_Bzzzzzz!_

'I can't-'

_Bzzzz!_

'I swear, if you pick up that phone now Osamu-'

_Bzzzzzz!_

'-He'll get suspicious Chūya.'

_Bzzzzzzzzzzz!_

'...'

Dazai's eyes softened as a smile tried but ultimately failed to pull at the corners of his mouth. He knew his eyes reflected disappointment but his partner? The restrained anger was just being restrained, possibly because he was in striking distance. Had the copper headed Gifted acted out on his impulse at the moment, the taller mafioso was likely to get caught up in it. Not something either of them wanted. Free fngers deftly slipping under the luxury material black collar now adorning Chūya's neck, Dazai pulled out the buzzing cellphone from his inside coat pocket. Then, quick as a flash, the conniving brunette all but smashed his lips against his partner's rough at first to prevent a immediate reaction from the petite teen. Though once on target the dark haired teen eased up on the pressure for a softer more loving of a kiss. At the same time he flipped open the mobile communication device taking the call. After being sure their boss would hear his high-strung partner in the background screaming in anger and embarassment at him, the teen answered the call. "Yes Boss?" The whole time grinning at the shouts of "DAZAI YOU SHITTY MACKEREL!" which no doubt the mafia boss heard just as well on the other end of the line. And which no doubt he assumed was just the boys being themselves with each other instead of anything suspicious.

'Save it for later Slug. You owe me a kiss now after all.'


	11. Parenthood-Age Six, part two

**HAPPY (very very) LATE VALENTINE'S DAY (got sidetracked with another chapter and City of Strays lol)! As a special additional gift (no pun intended!) here is the moment Soukoku became a family! Enjoy!**

**Continued from chapter 4.**

**...I. Broke. The. Fluff. Meter...Now time to get to this chapter of City of Strays with this little bit of background accomplished. Also a fun fact is Decay of Angels is named after another novel of Yukio Mishima who is Yukiko's rl author inspiration as you know. Just a fun tid bit there.**** Also I'm going to be attempting Soukoku Fluff Week 2020...got catching up to do yikes! That could be out of order and late as far as the days go though.**

* * *

"From what I hear you still take your wine no ice but chilled right?"

The voice of his ex-partner proving to be the only thing that could draw his attention from the unconcious child, Chūya turned in its direction. Sure enough there was Dazai walking into the bedroom with a tray carrying quite the oddly paired spred. The spred itself consisting of bowls of crab meat, a pair of wine glasses and a...very familiar chilled bottle of wine. "Seriously? '89 Petrus?", asked Chūya raising an eyebrow watching as the detective waltzed over to the bed, "Who'd you have to blackmail or torture for that? Or did the agency confiscate it from someone during a case? And who pairs lump crab meat with it?" Still the ability user carefully adjusted himself so he was sitting propped up against the dark wooden headboard of the king sized bed. His hand lingering just long enough to brush some stray strands from his daughter's face before giving Dazai his attention again. Normally such behavior would warrent suspicion on the new boss's part, but he knew the other Gifted better then that. For as much of a annoyance as Dazai was, having his old partner so close took the edge off of the gravity-manipulator's exposed raw nerves. The suicidal idiot always had that effect on him even without using his special ability.

Taking the boss's words as confirmation of his thoughts, Dazai set the tray on the bed in a way nothing would spill. Then, carefully, the Privet Investigator joined his ex-partner and the little girl up on the bed. Him lining his back up with headboard so he was sitting up straight before collecting what he'd brought with him. The kid resting between the two of them. "Ouch. Give me a little credit Slug.", said Dazai passing the expensive alcohol over to the copper headed man with a expression of mock hurt, "Here I was thinking you'd be thrilled to share a glass of our wine with me. While it wasn't a problem it was still a pain to get my hands on this you know. It would be a shame to waste and wine goes great with seafood."

"Our wine? Since when do we have a wine? It's not like we're a damned couple idiot.", said Chūya uncorking the bottle. After pulling the cork out he paused though, eyes locked on the label of the drink. Thoughts involuntarily drifting back to the last time he had seen this particular bottle and it's twin secretly kept in the racks of the refrigerator he kept his more prized wines in. Feeling a light pressure on the top of his hand though, Chūya snapped out of his own thoughts back to reality. Looking down there was indeed a hand resting on top of his making it tilt the bottle of alcohol down towards a waiting empty wine glass in his other hand. The wrist of the hand helping him out being wrapped tight in layers of white bandages which would no doubt be covering the rest of the man wearing them. Chūya didn't bother pulling his hand away. Instead he allowed the brunette detective to apply the needed pressure to guide his hand into steadily pouring the beverage equally into both glasses without causing a messy clean up. Even when they'd finished the copper haired man didn't pull his hand out from under Dazai's, but instead took a deep breath closing his eyes relishing the physical connection.

"No Longer Human.", breathed Dazai in a low voice announcing his ability. At his words a flurry of blue light in the form of numerous ribbons shot up into the air twisting around the mafia boss. After a few seconds they dispersed leaving the detective watching the man whose hand he was holding with scruitinizing brown narrowed eyes. While Chūya seemed alright the brunette knew better then to assume and leave the shorter half of their duo alone. There was a reason a certain female Executive had called him. Yes Dazai was already on his way to deal with the bastard in the basement, but still he cut that first session shorter then he was planning. Not that he was done with the former Executive...oh not by a long shot. It was just the former Executive's ex-partner came first and was just as much his responsibility as handling the clean up with this whole mess was. "Slug?", he prompted.

What his ability did for Arahabaki, so the suicidal ex-Executive's voice did for the copper haired man playing vessel to the ancient being. Hearing his nickname from the agency member was like being freed from someone's strangle hold around his neck. There was the rare warmth he could easily make out, well rare unless you were Chūya anyway because he'd heard it plenty of times behind closed doors. Away from their subordinates...away from Koyo...away from the former boss that had paired them up in the first place as teens. The Gifted didn't answer right away. Opting with deciding to then raise the glass of rich red liquid to his mouth, taking a deep satisfying breath of the drink before pressing it to his lips for a swig. The taste and burning sensation greeting him with welcomed familiarity. Chūya savored the sip as his body completly relaxed now just about sinking into the matress. He needed this more then he thought. The gravity-manipulator was originally going to have a cigarette but this did the trick better then smoking would ever have he decided.

But this wasn't right...

Chūya jolted in place quickly yanking his hand out from under the agency member's, though he paused resisting the urge to claim the suicide advocate's fingers in his own again. This was wrong. This was so wrong. Here he was on the night of the mother of his daughter's funeral laying in bed with said currently unconcious six year old, with his feelings towards his ex-partner who also happened to work for an enemy organization despite their odd little truce secretly pining to hold his hand. His daughter's mother hadn't been buried for a full twenty four hours yet and here he was finding comfort in the agency member as though she never exsisted. Course it didn't help that the guy suddenly showed up as if on cue and with gifts no less. So much for top of the line security. Then again there wasn't a system in at least all the city that was Dazai Proof. "Life. Sucks.", said the boss taking a longer drink from his wine glass this time and going for the crab.

A soft chuckle came from Dazai who'd already started eating. "Really? Does this mean you finally want to commit suicide? I'm so happy you've finally seen the light.", teased the man knowing full well there was no way he'd get the man to become an advocate in a hundred years. Especially not now with a child to look after and confirmation coming in the response of "Don't count on it asshole." His eyes then ended up drifting down to the little girl tucked under the plush covers between them, chest rising easily as though she were in a deep sleep. Yosano said the girl was just fine with not being in any life threatening danger and not having sustained so much as a dusting from debris. A thought based largely in a sudden spike of curiosity caused the detective to slowly raise his free hand towards the child to ever so lightly brush the back of his hand to her nose. Said child pressing her face to his palm in response to the light touch. Deciding to become a bit more adventerous, the ability user then moved his hand to softly run his fingers through long strands of brilliant bright copper hair.

Chūya, who'd been watching the proceedings from the opposite side of the unconcious child, made a 'tch' sound changing things up and going for the seafood. The hesitancy of the detective was clear as day. "She isn't going to bite and she isn't some delecate camilla or cherry blossom. Besides Chibi is unconscious. Even if she could bite there would be no way she could at this moment.", said the man helping some of the tender sea dweller into his mouth. At first he'd never been a fan of fish or other critters that came from the water and it did take about a year to get used to it. But after a year with Dazai keeping crab regularly stocked around their penthouse luxery apartment? Well eventually the copper haired Gifted had come to appreciate the not half bad creatures that lived below the surface of the water. Yokohama City was a Port City after all. It was one of Japan's major ports at that so such food was typically easy to come by and pretty fresh. "So.", Chūya spoke up going for another piece of crab, "Did that super detective of yours figure out what the hell happened?"

"Spatial slicing.", said Dazai not looking away from the child tucked between them.

The mafia boss paused looking at his former partner. "Spatial slicing? Like cutting through the area around her kind of thing? Isn't that Akutagawa's and was that guy Gogol's thing?", Chūya asked ceasing his eating for the moment.

"Roshomon devours whatever it comes into contact with and The Overcoat relocated things. But when you try to fact check Ranpo's theory, not that theres any need to, nothing else makes sense.", said Dazai as a way of confirmation, "You saw the scene of the explosion. It doesn't take much to realize that for someone to survive they'd have to be an ability user. Besides the probability of a child being Gifted is increased if you have a parent who has a gift themselves, weather it's one of both of the parents. Just take a look at Kyoka and Demon Snow."

"Demon Snow doesn't count, Mackerel, it was her mother's ability not her's. It's not like I gave For The Tainted Sorrow to Chibi.", retorted the man narrowing blue eyes.

Dazai sighed, "True but you're still Gifted and on top of that Tainted is a powerful ability. Yukiko's chances of having an ability of her own were still amplified from the start thanks to those two facts alone. It just took something of substantial impact for it to manifest...like being caught in a car bomb."

The more patite man's fists clenched at the mention of the incident that had nearly taken his daughter from him. He should have known! He should have let Akutagawa execute the man one of the how many times the violence-prone Executive offered to do so! He should have known! No the gravity-manipulator did know but figured the bastard wasn't cowerdly enough to go after the kid and her mother like he had! Chūya figured the asshole would go right after him head on with the overconfidence the guy had in his ability. But no. That had been a miscalculation on the mafia boss's part and had just about costed him one of the two most important things in his life for it! It was sheer luck that he'd managed to pass on something other then looks to the little girl. Because like Dazai said if he hadn't-

"Chūya."

The brunette watched as his former partner settled down when he said his name. Dazai convinced that, had he not been in the bed as well, the whole thing would have been covered in red energy and floating. It was apparent that his dedecution had been spot on...this whole situation had Arahabaki irritated much more then usual. Not good. Especially not good with the god's human vessel's shattered emotional state at the moment. Luckily the petite copper haired ability user seemed to know this and, consequently, wasn't even attempting to get rid of Dazai. If anything the detective was a bit disappointed the boss wasn't sitting in his lap yet like when they were teenagers lounging around. Instead the pair sat in silence on the bed eating crab and drinking a bottle of ridiculously expansive wine.

Well they sat in silence untill there was movement from the middle of the plush bed. Movement which was followed by a half sleep sounding "Papa?"

Chūya's gaze fell to the little girl as she shifted under the plush sheets to get up into an upright sitting position. Her eyes heavy with sleep still complete with bags darkening the area under them. The child raising a hand to rub the remanants of sleep from them with the heel of her palm. Her hair in neat bedhead thanks to his ex-partner's combing through her bright locks. Seeing his daughter awake, Chūya set down his wine before leaning over wrapping his arms around the young child pulling her onto his lap. Arms tightly encircling the newly awakened young Gifted keeping the confussed groggy girl as close to his body as possible without hurting her. The copper haired gravity-manipulator leaning over slightly as if to curl around the six year old as a living shield. "Morning Chibi. I hope you don't think just because you slept most of the day away, that you don't have to follow bedtime rules. Not happening.", the man's words were stern contrasting with his soft voice and grip around the child.

The blue eyed little ability user held fast to her father while resting her head against his chest. "Papa.", the girl said as her surroundings started coming into focus around her along with awareness of what was going on. She was in her father's arms. She was sitting up in her father's really big cushy bed. She was home. "Papa.", the child repeated as the word started sinking in along with her new surroundings steadily becoming clearer. The situation now dawning on her, causing the small ability user to pull slightly away from Chūya enough to look up at him. "Papa.", said the girl turning her head craning her neck to look around the mafia boss, "Wheres-" The six year old let her voice drop off though as her body froze against the man whose physical appearance she'd borrowed. At least until said little girl managed to wiggle herself free and lunge across the bed for brunette watching the scene between father and daughter. Small fists tightening their hold on Dazai's vest and refusing to release him. The child actually cringing away from her father to bury her face in the detective's chest. Her little body trembling against the brunette she clung desperately to. "You're okay.", the small copper haired child made a sniffing sound as wet started soaking through the fabric of the detective's clothes. Were those...tears? To make sure a bewildered suicidal detective carefully reached down running his thumb over the kid's exposed cheek feeling it. Yes. It was indeed tears which were soaking through his vest into his shirt. His ex-partner's daughter was crying. The question was why?! And why was she clinging for dear life to Dazai instead of Chūya?

"You're okay.", the little girl repeated before answering the question on both men's minds, "I'm glad. I'm glad you're okay Daddy. You're okay..."


	12. What You Are

**16**

He fell to the floor with the unceremonious thudd of a dead body. Right onto his backside hard enough to feel the apartment floor shake slightly under the impact of his body. The full dead weight of a sixteen year old boy falling back to earth...or the floor of their shared penthouse living room. Airway, now free again from the steadily tightening constriction, burning as he instinctivly took ragged deep breaths to bring air back through it to his lungs. Breaths which ended up being fits of hacking coughs at the sudden reintroduction of precious oxygen. Heart beating insistantly with adrenaline, while the haze which threatened unconciousness started clearing from his mind. He bearly registared the nimble fingers clothed in familiar luxury black fabric working at a furious pace at his neck to undo the rope. Or rather the tail end of the rope that was left behind. A almost animalistic growl later, and goosebumps formed along his bare neck from the electricity-like sensation of soft bare fingers brushed against his neck from the skin to skin contact. Though the rope had rubbed a hot irritated pink ring around his neck, the physical contact didn't cause him any pain. If anything the touch was cool against the bright ugly rash caused by rope burn.

"What the fuck you stupid asshole!? What!? The!? Fuck!?"

Ah. So his calculations had been off...or were they right on point? Either the other was back much earlier then expected, or the boy had hesitsted far too long in acting on his impulse. He felt the rope snag his hair as it was pulled over his head and a muffled thud as it was tossed accross the room. In response the brunette turned his head carefully to press his face into the palm of the ungloved hand and sucessfully making it's owner stiffen. The owner let his face rest there for several seconds before the would-be-dead-teen felt his head be moved back to center. A light weight on his torso pinning him to the floor just then registaring with his thoughts.

"I leave the city for a week, a WEEK, and come home to find my manipulative bastard of a partner hanging from the cieling in our living room! Of all the fucked up shit Mackerel! Why the hell would you hang yourself!? I oughtta-!"

A weak smile pulled at his lips. Hand raised catching the punch intended for his face without so much as cracking his eye lids open. There was no need to. "Chūya was a horrible person and left me all alone out of pure selfishness. What was I supposed to do to get him back here?", he answered cheerfully with a smug grin on his face. Though his voice was rough from talking so soon after having the air suffocated out of him and wind pipe close to being crushed. To sell the guilt trip further the teen coughed, though silently regretted it when the very real pain which struck him due to the forced action. The brunette unable to hold back a grimace thanks to it.

"You ass..."

The fist he had caught pushing back against the inside of his hand.

Fingers of said fist loosening, opening up as the fist released itself. What was once curled into a tight fist now spred slipping into the gaps between his own fingers lacing them together locking them into place.

"You ass..."

He tightened his hold on the petite mafioso's hand though the rest of his body relaxed. Expression softening as he let out a slow carefull breath. Normally old blood colored emotionless eyes reducing themselves to large pools of freshly melted chocolate. Warm. Welcoming. Accepting. Calm. Yes possesive but steming from a need to protect he could never seem to fight or stomp down...not when it applied to this compressed ball of pure energy and anger.

He felt pressure carefully start to rest on top of him as said compressed ball of pure energy and anger leaned forward to settle on him like a living blanket. He turned his head automatically to the side to allow room for the head of fierce copper to rest in the crook of his neck and shoulder. The brilliant colored head pleassntly taking up his line of sight. His breathing likewise falling into sync with the other teen's instinctively. He raised his free hand to lightly rest it on the small of the other's back, the other body trembling against him no doubt with boiling rage which couldn't be properly expressed without destroying something. "No Longer Human.", he forced out as blue light engulfed the two of them before disipating into a flurry of blue ribbon-like streams around them. As soon as he did the other body went totally limp against him...truely relaxed.

"I hate you."

"I know Slug."

"I hate this. I don't need you."

"I do too. I don't need you either."

The feeling of warmth at the angry red rope burns around his neck before a soft, almost fearfull pressure accompanied it.

Him leaning his head back to rest on top of the other in response.

"You're not alone. You're no devil."

"You'll never be alone and you're not _Arahabaki."_

Dazai felt Chūya stiffen at the name of the god resting dormant inside him for a moment, though it was nothing a gentle reminder of his presence didn't quickly dispell. He pressed his face to the soft bright locks of his partner as the two lay there on the floor of their penthouse embraced. Both not in any hurry to disturb the other.


	13. Waiting And Bedtime Wishes

**So I am convinced watching BSD is signing half your soul to Dazai and the other half to Chūya. You automatically give the pair of them joint custody of your soul. **

**17**

He blinked once.

He blinked twice.

He blinked three times.

"Go to sleep Chuu-", comes a grumbled 'order' so thick with sleep it would be unaudible if it wasn't so close to his ear. So heavy with sleep the bandaged brunette doesn't even get his full name out.

Chūya should really go to sleep like his partner said.

Chūya would go to sleep had it not been for one tiny little detail. The detail that the copper haired teen loved watching his partner sleep...found it fascinating even. Fascinatingly adorable that is. It was like someone had flipped a switch, no more like Dazai was more himself...his real self...when sleep over took the practical boy genius.

Dazai's easy rythmic breathing and moving chest that the young gravity manipulator had no issue resting his head against.

The other teen's soft snoring.

How all the tension just was none exsistant in his body as he completely relaxed. His normally ever turning mind actually seemingly still for a change.

The way his slightly wavy dark locks fell carelessly over his face.

The lanky mummified arm tossed over Chūya keeping the copper haired young ability user near by for his comfort. Not that the boy would ever tell his suicidal partner this weight also made him feel safe...warm...important...wanted. It made him feel loved. Even the knowledge of the pistol with extra bullets resting at Dazai's back in case of an intruder to their privet haven appearead couldn't ruin these moments for the blue eyed Gifted. Carefully, the seventeen year old lifted a hand to slip it under his partner's cheek between it and the pillow. Only when ungloved fingers touched warm cheek the taller idiot shift his head laying the side of his face right into the other boy's palm. Upon doing so Dazai proceeded to place a chaste kiss into said palm before settling down again.

Azure eyes opened. Chūya Nakahara was laying in bed, his ungloved fingers slowly flexing one after the other with palm aimed upwards. Only instead of the softly snoring form of his partner resting taking up the other half of the bed it was barren. Well accept for a few of the twenty year old's effects anyway.

Rythmic breathing replaced by his hat from Mori.

Soft snoring replaced by his gloves.

Relaxed, tension free body replaced with his knife gifted to him by Ane-san as an entry gift of her own to him.

Lanky bandaged arm replaced his own arms wrapping themselves around him as he stared at the silent cellphone in waiting. In waiting as he'd been for the past two years for...well anything. Any sign that the traitorous bastard hadn't gone and actually suceeded in commiting suicide without his partner to save his ass by his side. Or worse...that Mori had caught up with the scheming idiot somehow and- No. Osamu Dazai was still alive.

And Chūya Nakahara would wait as long as it took for his partner to come home to him. "'Night Dazai-"


End file.
